1 / 58

Bridging the Digital Divide A Barrier Free Approach

Bridging the Digital Divide A Barrier Free Approach. David Banes Director of Development AbilityNet . Users. Age Disability Needs Settings. Stats – The Scale. Mobility impairment • Wheelchair users c . 3.2 million • Cannot walk without aid c . 40.0 million Dexterity impairment

serena
Download Presentation

Bridging the Digital Divide A Barrier Free Approach

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Bridging the Digital DivideA Barrier Free Approach David Banes Director of Development AbilityNet

  2. Users • Age • Disability • Needs • Settings

  3. Stats – The Scale • Mobility impairment • Wheelchair users c. 3.2 million • Cannot walk without aid c. 40.0 million • Dexterity impairment • Cannot use fingers c. 0.8 million • Cannot use one arm c. 0.8 million • Reduced strength c. 22.4 million • Reduced co-ordination c. 11.2 million • Speech and Language impairment • Speech impaired c. 2.0 million • Language impaired c. 4.8 million

  4. 20 % of Population – 55 Million People • Cognitive impairment • Dyslexia c. 8.0 million • Intellectually impaired c. 24.0 million • Hearing impairment • Deaf c. 0.8 million • Hard of hearing c. 48.0 million • Visual impairment • Blindness implies a total or near total loss of the ability to perceive • Blind c. 3.2 million • Low vision c. 12.0 million

  5. The Divide • Attitudes • Cost • Awareness • Confidence • Technology is different !

  6. Legal Framework UN Convention on Human Rights Article 9 • Accessibility to: – the physical environment – Transportation – to information and communications, – including information and communications technologies and systems & internet – other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas 2007 Commission Communication on the situation of disabled people: Disability is a human rights and not only a social discretional matter. Communication 2008/133 on standardisation & innovation – Public procurement: accessibility standards

  7. Legal Framework UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities 2006 Disability rights – Human rights Accessibility • UN International Action on Ageing 2002 Disability and ageing Accessibility European Treaty The new Article 13 provides for measures to combat discrimination based on disability. The Intergovernmental Conference that drew up the Treaty of Amsterdam sought to offer an even stronger guarantee Mandate 376: ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC PROCUREMENT OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN THE ICT DOMAIN Proposal for new directive

  8. The Divide Looking across ? Or Falling In ?

  9. A New Bridge • To Meet these needs and parameters – we need a new approach

  10. What are the barriers ? • Awareness of Solutions • Cost of solutions • Access to services • Training • Demand • Geography

  11. Which services address these needs? • Advice and Information • Assessment of Needs • Personal Visits / Mentoring • Classroom training • Software and Hardware solutions • Technical Support

  12. What are the traditional models of delivery • Multidisciplinary • Inter-disciplinary • Professional Intervention • At Clinic • Personal Visit • What are the limitations • Cost • Demand • Intensity • No Legacy

  13. Three Steps

  14. Solutions – Access to Information • My Computer, My Way • Social Networking • Wiki

  15. Solutions – Access to Services • Remote Assessment • Switched on Communities

  16. Case Study - Remote Delivery of Service • Using technology to deliver service • Based at home • Broadband • Webcam • VoIP

  17. Starting The Remote Process

  18. The Basics

  19. Performing Remote Assessment

  20. Benefits • Highly valued • Highly productive • Highly skilled • Client facing • 94% Satisfaction Rating

  21. Solutions – Access to Training • eLearning • Video Training • Webinars • Blended

  22. Solutions – Access to Support • Volunteer Networks • Remote Desktop Assistance

  23. Solutions – Cost of Solutions • Open Source solutions • Free and Shareware database • Bittorrent • Loan Bank of commercial solutions

  24. Independent Evaluation • The project has brought important benefits for many individual users, ranging from small improvements in the ease with which they can use computers, to changes which enable them to participate in activities (such as training) or carry out tasks (such as e-mail) from which they had been almost totally excluded. • The project has also significantly raised the awareness of staff in the centres (and others they have been able to influence) about the possibilities of making computing more accessible through adjustments and adaptations. • The training and support provided by AbilityNet has been excellent, with universal praise for the work of the staff member who was most directly involved, and almost no negative comments at all.

  25. User Voices • The assessment tool was very thorough in finding exactly what users needed to assist them. • Having the assessment tool is essential because it gives a focus and goes through things systematically. • Text prediction, followed by the trackball and getting the computer to talk made the biggest difference. • I found it gave me so much more confidence. I'd had a bad experience before with another organisation and thought I would not be able to learn computing again. I have now had the confidence to move on and learn with another company and have gained a qualification. • One positive outcome has been that staff (and others such as families and social services staff) have learned a lot about accessible computing, and have also learned that you don’t need to be an IT professional to make a lot of useful adjustments for people. That good basic stuff alone has been valuable.

  26. Content and Web Accessibility • Accessibility Barriers • Websites • Software • Platform • Devices • Standards • Procurement • Based on experience of W3C and PC’s

  27. Supporting Accessible Design • Raise awareness • Identify Standards • Train in variety of Styles • Provide Support Materials • Identify Tools for Conversion • Implement and Learn

  28. AbilityNet – Tools for Diversity

  29. Integrating Virtual and Physical Networks • SOC / SSOC • RAPL evaluation

  30. A Partnership

  31. Linking to Voluntary and Community Organisations VCO VCO VCO Disability Action VCO VCO

  32. VCOs will... • Receive “mini-kit” and training (today!) • Receive support from their linked community partner www.abilitynet.org.uk/soc • Have access to AbilityNet’s online assessment tool • Have access to AbilityNet’s loan bank of equipment • Have access to AbilityNet’s e-learning materials • Have opportunities to participate in future training sessions • Receive support with assessments for learner access needs • Will be promoted on AbilityNet website

  33. Online Assessment Tool

  34. Access to a loan bank of equipment

  35. Car Analogy Do you drive a car that anyone else drives? Let’s think about what might happen but looking at an example……

  36. Two willing volunteers

  37. An ideal driving position

  38. getting comfortable……..

  39. The Problem Comfortable?Safe?Practical?Happy?

  40. The Solution After some simple adjustments… • Seat back • Seat lowered • Steering Wheel raised • Mirrors adjusted

  41. One size does not fit all!

  42. Adaptive Hardware

  43. Low Cost Software

  44. Free Software

  45. Built in Options

  46. Open Source Solutions

More Related